Wednesday Check-in On Thursday
Posted: October 28, 2010 Filed under: Goals, NANOWRIMO, Wednesday Check-in, Writers Write | Tags: Donald Maass Workshop, Trusting Your Instincts, writers, writing, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook 2 Comments »
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook: I finished Lesson 14: Making Complications Active. I could work on two more scenes, but laying awake last night, I figured the action was after-the-fact, and I would probably cut it later anyway. The scenes are outlined, so I’ll save the prep work and add them later if necessary.
I’m bogged down here, working at a snail’s pace. I know the things that need doing, but each task has become a marathon. At this stage the work is tedious, so I’m taking a break.
Sort of.
November is National Novel Writing Month. Notice the badge to the right? I’m participating in NANOWRIMO, I’ll be writing fifty thousand words in thirty days. For information about how you too can lose your senses and sign up, click on the icon.
The plan is to write a new story from scratch during the month of November. Outlines are acceptable, but early drafts are not. In the end, the author gets–are you ready for this?–bragging rights. I’m not waiting until December 1. You can follow my self congratulations and aggrandizement right here starting next Monday, November 1. I’ll be blogging everyday. Hopefully, some wisdom will seep into the drivel.
Just remember what Hemingway said, “The first draft of anything is shit.”
The Empty Sack
Posted: August 21, 2010 Filed under: Goals, Writers Write | Tags: loss, perception, Trusting Your Instincts, writers, writing 2 Comments »At the beach, I grill hot dogs while Bacon watches Cherry and Coco swim. When I open the back of the van to get out the condiments, a Dollar Tree bag floats gently overhead. I don’t want to be one of those losers contributing to the flotilla in the Gulf, so I jump. And miss.
The wind propels it around the dune and down the road. I’m right behind pounding the sand, huffing and puffing, but the bastard is beyond reach. With each step I hurl my body forward. Dollar Tree drifts. My lungs burn. I kick the sand with my flip-flops.
Why am I still running? Over my shoulder, the car is a half-mile back. I’m chasing a sack that I’m never going to catch. Leaning forward, hands on knees, I let it go.
What have you chased lately?
Like this:
Wednesday Check-in
Posted: April 21, 2010 Filed under: Goals, Wednesday Check-in, Writers Write | Tags: Donald Maass Workshop, writers, writing, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook Leave a comment »Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook: 49 tasks completed out of 591 possible, 3 since 4/14
Miles walked: 4.5 since 4/14. I took the dog to the park today. She finagled a dog biscuit out of another schnauzer owner. The treat was so big, she wasn’t sure if she should eat it or bury it. She ate it, but only after carrying it around for fifteen minutes.
I’m working on Chapter 6, the Reversing Motives exercise on pages 38 and 39. I have finished three and have three to go. Sometimes, my initial motive at the beginning of a scene is weak. For example, in one place my protagonist found herself in front of her love interest by accident. Now, she goes to him with a problem, giving her a motive. Even though she chickens out and doesn’t ask for help, she feels conflict. The rewrite changed only a paragraph of the manuscript, but the entire scene is different because the tension is elevated.
In another, I discovered the protagonist has no reason to be there at all. I cut those pages, lifting the necessary exposition and dividing it between the previous and following scenes. You’d think after working on something for two years, I’d have these problems fixed, but the Breakout Novel tasks are so story specific, they shine a spotlight on the obvious–even when it’s hidden in plain sight.
And, if you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t seen this video of the Maassketeers, watch it now. There’s a reason why so many of us have become disciples. The method works.
